


The trial of Marc Guggenheim

by Stand_with_Ward_and_Queen



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Gen, Guggenheim is in trouble, Parody, The characters are not happy, Trials
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-15
Updated: 2016-10-17
Packaged: 2018-08-22 13:41:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8287703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stand_with_Ward_and_Queen/pseuds/Stand_with_Ward_and_Queen
Summary: What do the characters of the Flarrowverse think of what Guggenheim has done to them? What would they do if they could do something about it? Click and find out.





	1. The opening statement

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is an idea that has been in my head for a while. We all know Guggenheim has ruined Arrow, and that he refuses to take responsibility for his actions, even running away from Twitter because he can't deal with the facts. But what do the characters think of what he has done? What if they decided to do something about it? The answer is this story.

Marc Guggenheim groaned as he woke up. The last thing he remembered, he was in his office when he felt something sharp prick his neck, then nothing. As his eyes adjusted, he realized he was tied to a chair. He briefly wondered if he had been kidnapped by some crazed fan before he realized he was in a court room. He was in the defendant's chair and there was a lawyer on the prosecutions side with glasses. There was a judge in the judge's chair.

"Excuse me, what is going on?" Guggenheim asked only to be ignored.

"Let's get started. Court is now in session, the characters of Arrow, Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow Versus Marc Guggenheim. The charges are as follows: ignoring source material, butchering of various characters, transforming an action driven show into a soap opera, and making the main character secondary in his own show to an insignificant character from the comics," The judge slammed his hammer down before looking over at the prosecutor, "Mr. Murdock, make your opening statement."

"With pleasure Your Honor," Matthew Murdock stood up and faced the jury, "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, what is human decency? This man, Marc Guggenheim, has repeatedly denied all forms of it to his fans, to his characters, to the people who created the very material that gave him his show and job in the first place. He has all but bowed down to a group of fans that are a very small but vocal minority while ignoring the majority of fans and even insulting them by calling them a 'silent minority.' I plead with you to find this man guilty of all charges."

"Thank you prosecutor. Call you first witness." The judge ordered.


	2. Opening witnesses

"The prosecution calls Felicity Smoak to the stand." Murdock told the judge.

Felicity stood up from her seat and walked into the area. Guggenheim looked over at her but she ignored him until she took her place at the stand.

"Ms. Smoak, can you tell us of your experiences with Mr. Guggenheim as showrunner?" Murdock asked as he stepped up.

"Well, the first two years, it was pretty good.I enjoyed being part of the show and having such great friends and making a different. Then the third year, when Andrew and Greg left, it all went down hill. It seemed like my character was completely rewritten to please a select group of fans." Felicity explained.

"Could you please clarify for the jury what you mean by 'rewritten.'" Murdock asked and she nodded.

"It was like my personality was slowly but surely replaced by a different one. One that was the complete opposite of my original personality. For example, instead of telling Oliver he shouldn't kill anymore, I became the character who told him who he should and shouldn't kill. Instead of supporting him, I was tearing him down, undermining him, and even disrespecting him in front of the entire team. And I really just seemed to turn into an unlikable person over all who was self-absorbed and liked to cause drama. And why exactly did I become A Mary-Sue? When did I become the character who everyone else was below? I mean, I know I am good at what I do, but why does everyone have to be inferior to me? It gets exhausting after a while." Felicity explained and Murdock nodded.

"No further questions your honor." Murdock said as he took his seat.

"Does the defendant have anything to say in defense of his actions?" The judge said as he looked over at Guggenheim.

"It was organic." Guggenheim said causing uproar before the judge slammed down his hammer.

"Order! Ms. Smoak, you may step down," The judge said and Felicity got off the stand, "Mr. Murdock, call your next witness."

"The prosecution calls Leonard Snart to the stand." Murdock announced.

"I prefer Cold, Captain Cold." Cold said as he walked up to the stand.

"Very well. Captain, what have been your experiences with Mr. Guggenheim?" Murdock said as he walked up to Cold.

"I didn't have too much contact with him until I appeared on Legends of Tomorrow. At first it was fine, I got some interesting storylines, great character development, and got to be an overall badass. Then I started to notice I was having an increasing amount of scenes with Sara Lance. I didn't think to much of it to be honest until episode fifteen. Out of nowhere, I announce that I have feelings for Sara. I didn't see it coming and I honestly don't see the point of it if I was just gonna die at the end of the episode." Cold explained.

"And, if I may ask, why do you think that was even put in the script you were given?" Murdock inquired.

"If I had to guess, I'd say because a bunch of fans online wanted us together." Cold said and Murdock nodded.

"No further questions." Murdock said as he sat back down.

"Does the defendant have anything to say?" The judge looked down at Guggenheim.

"We had to give the fans what they wanted!" Guggenheim protested and whispers broke out amidst the room.

"Captain, you may step down. Mr. Murdock, call your next witness." The judge ordered.


	3. Scorned villains

"The prosecution calls Slade Wilson to the stand." Murdock announced.

"About time." Slade muttered as he took his place on the stand.

"Mr. Wilson, what are you experiences with Mr. Guggenheim?" Murdock asked as he approached Slade.

"The first couple years, I had very few complaints. I was a badass, I had some great action scenes, and I was a great Villain, some would say the best villain on the show. Then I made my guest appearance in Season three. I was defeated by Thea Queen. Me, the big bad of season two, was taken down by a little girl with less than a year of training. I know I didn't have the Mirakuru in my system anymore, but in the flashbacks I was shown to be a badass even before I was injected. Even the man who plays me on the show expressed his dissatisfaction with that. And you know when an actor slams something he was in it's bad." Slade said and the crowd muttered in agreement.

"No further questions." Murdock said as he turned and walked back over to his seat.

"Does the defendant have anything to say?" The judge asked as he looked down at Guggenheim.

"No your honor. I admit I messed up." Guggenheim said and the judge nodded.

"Mr. Wilson, you may step down. Mr. Murdock, call you're next witness." The judge said as Slade walked down.

"The prosecution calls Malcolm Merlyn to the stand." Murdock said and Malcolm silently approached the stand.

"Mr. Merlyn," Murdock said as he approached the bench, "as someone who has been around since the beginning, what can you tell me of your time under Mr. Guggenheim as head showrunner as opposed to when he worked with Andrew Krisberg and Greg Berlanti?"

"It's been hell. The first couple years, I was a badass villain. Nearly everyone trembled with fear at my mere presence, I kicked Oliver's ass twice, I destroyed The Glades, I sabotaged the Gambit. I'm pretty much the whole reason for the show's premise. Then season three rolled around and Guggie over there decided I worked better as an anti-hero," Malcolm shook his head in disgust, "I don't know what he was thinking and honestly, it was hard to keep up with the scripts I was given. One episode I'm a bad guy, then I'm a good guy, then I'm a bad guys again and so on. I thought things would get better once I became Ra's al Ghul but it just got worse. I mean, what was Ra's al Ghul doing popping up to give people advice, because I had nothing better to do? And what was with that one-minute fight I had with Oliver last season? It was pathetic."

"He brings up a good point on that last one." The judge said as he looked over at Guggenheim.

"We had to cut the screen time on the fight because we had other things to focus on." Guggenheim explained.

"What could possibly be more important than the rematch between Oliver and the big bad of season one?" Malcolm asked incredulously. 

"No further questions." Murdock said as he walked back to his seat.

"Mr. Merlyn, you may step down. Mr. Murdock, call your next witness." The judge ordered as Malcolm walked back towards the aisle.

"The prosecution calls Vandal Savage to the stand," Murdock called out as Savage walked up and took the stand, "Mr. Savage, what can you tell us about your time under Mr. Guggenheim?" 

"It was awful. The back door pilot and the actual pilot of Legends of tomorrow built me up to be a villain on the same level as Deathstroke and Zoom, but it seemed to be all talk save for when I was on The Flash. Otherwise, I seemed to be only moderately threatening. And my death was simply pathetic and confusing. I mean, how is it possible that I died in three separate timelines?" Savage said puzzled.

"No further questions your honor." Murdock said as he sat back down.

"Does the defendant have anything to say in defense?" The judge inquired.

"We were just finding our footing." Guggenheim said feebly and the judge sighed.

"You may step down Mr. Savage. We will take a twenty minute recess before we resume court." The judge said before slamming his hammer down.

Everyone stood up from their seats and departed the room. All except for one.

"Um, hello?" Guggenheim called out.


	4. Victims of melodrama

"Call your next witness Mr. Murdock." The judge said once court reconvened.

"The prosecution calls Barry Allen to the stand." Murdock announced. 

There was a breeze of wind and Barry was on the stand, holding a sandwich.

"Anyone mind if I eat this? You know how we speedsters need to eat more." Barry asked.

"Go right ahead Mr. Allen." The judge said and Barry took a bite of his sandwich.

"Mr. Allen, can you recount your first appearance on Arrow for us?" Murdock asked as he approached the bench.

"Well," Barry began once he swallowed, "it was what was originally intended as a backdoor pilot for my own spin-off, The Flash. But it honestly did not feel like a backdoor pilot. Instead of spending the episodes mainly with Oliver, which would have made the most sense, I spent most of my time with Felicity, doing this cutsie-science banter. Which, come to think of it, is probably why most people who watch the show didn't think Grant could do justice to my character. Anyway, instead being used to promote my own show, I was used as a prop to try and promote Olicity. Which I do not appreciate."

"No further questions your honor." Murdock said as he walked back towards his seat while Barry resumed eating.

"Does the defendant have anything to say?" The judge asked.

"It was organic." Guggenheim protested.

"You may step down Mr. Allen," the judge said and Barry sped back to his seat, "Mr. Murdock, call your next witness."

"The prosecution calls Ray Palmer to the stand." Murdock asked and Ray took his place on the stand, "Mr. Palmer, can you describe your experiences on both Arrow and Legends of tomorrow?"

"Initially, I was pretty excited to be coming to Arrow but I was let down. I was mostly used as a source of conflict to prevent Oliver and Felicity getting together. Instead of focusing on my path to becoming a hero, I was just Felicity's stand in boyfriend because she couldn't be with Oliver. Which resulted in me being hated by most of the Olicity fandom for that sole reason. I thought things would get better once I went to Legends, and for a while they were. Then Mr. Guggenheim had the bright idea to form a love triangle between me, Kendra, and Carter. Which a lot of people besides me seemed to have a problem with. It almost became a soap opera but the other writers kept Mr. Guggenheim in check." Ray explained.

"No further questions." Murdock said as he turned around and walked back to his seat.

"Does the defendant have anything to say?" The judge asked.

"It was organic!" Guggenheim protested again and the judge sighed.

"You may step down Mr. Palmer. Mr. Murdock, call your next witness." The judge ordered as Ray walked back to his seat.

"The prosecution calls Sara Lance to the stand," Murdock called and approached the stand once Sara had taken her place at it, "Ms. Lance, can you describe your experiences on Arrow and Legends of tomorrow?"

"For the most part, I had no complaints on Arrow that first year. I was a badass heroine, I didn't take anyone's shit, and my romance with Oliver made perfect sense, it didn't seem like it came out of nowhere. Then episode two-twenty rolled around. I broke up with Oliver, okay, that's one thing, but the whole 'it's not you, it's me' cliche? Really? And at the end of the season, I went back to the League of assassins when, not ten episodes before, I was willing to die rather than go back. Then I died. For shock value? To keep me from getting back together with Ollie? I don't know," Sara sighed as she ran a hand through her hair, "then I got resurrected and became a main character on my own spin-off. Which was great even if the writing was sometimes a little weak. Then episode fifteen rolled around and Me and Leonard were pushed together for pandering to our online fan-base. Your honor, may I address the defendant?"

"I'll allow it." The judge nodded. 

"Mr. Guggenheim, why do you support romantic relationships between characters who more or less have a sibling relationship? I mean, me and Leonard, Ollie and Felicity, is this a hold over from when you had Thea be attracted to Tommy before you decided he was her brother because Ollie being Malcolm's son was too cliche?" Sara asked.

"It was organic!" Guggenheim said beginning to sound like a broken record.

"No further questions." Murdock said as he stepped back towards his seat.

"Ms. Lance, you may step down. Mr. Murdock, call your next witness." The judge said as Sara walked back to her seat.


	5. Wronged heroes

"The prosecution calls Roy Harper to the stand." Murdock called out.

Roy stood up from his seat and walked up to the stand. Once he had sat down, Murdock stood up and walked over to him.

"Mr. Harper, could you please recount your experiences as a series regular on Arrow." Murdock requested.

"The first year was pretty great. I got an interesting storyline and it was a great way for me to come into my mantle as Arsenal. The second year, not so much. I was Arsenal this year, but that was pretty much all my character had to do. I had virtually no storyline other than feeling guilty for killing that cop. I am one of the three most important characters in the Green Arrow mythology but I was mostly pushed to the side. There was a lot of stuff they could have done for me. Since Thea and I were broken up for most of the season, they could've introduced Cheshire as a love interest for me, had me become a father like in the comics. They could've had me become leader of the team while Oliver was gone. They could've had me deal with my guilt by turning me into a drug addict like I was in the comics. But no, they did literally nothing with me and then my actor left due to personal reasons. The second year was hell." Roy explained.

"No further questions." Murdock turned and walked back to his seat.

"Does the defendant have anything to say in his defense?" The judge asked.

"It's not a comic book show." Guggenheim said and caused uproar immediately.

"Order!" The judge slammed down his hammer and the crowd quieted down, "You may step down Mr. Harper. Mr. Murdock, call your next witness."

"The prosecution calls Dinah Laurel Lance to the stand." Murdock called out.

As Roy walked back to his seat, Laurel stood up. The two passed each other on the way and Laurel took her place on the stand. Murdock stood up and approached her.

"Ms. Lance, could you recount your experiences on Arrow?" Murdock asked her.

"The first year, I really didn't have much to complain about. Yes, I was a bitch to Ollie at first but I had a freaking good reason. And I wasn't too involved with the plot but I kind of expected that I wouldn't become involved with Ollie's night life right away. Then year two rolled around. Now, I'm not trying to sound conceited, but I'm supposed to be the leaning lady of this show. Or was. Anyway, why was I not in every episode? And hate me all you want for my arc that season, I'm the only one who got awarded on this show for my actress' acting. And why was I demonized for it? 'Don't hate me Sara?' If anyone had a right to hate someone, I had a right to hate both Sara and Ollie! I just...ugg." Laurel put a hand to head and sighed.

"Ms. Lance, we can stop if you wish." Murdock said gently.

"No, I'm fine," Laurel sighed before continuing, "Anyway, I thought things would get better in season three. That was sort of a yes and no. My sister died which sent me on a grief spiral and then Ollie 'died', so I became the Black Canary. Which was great, it gave me some much needed character development. But at the same time, this was supposed to be a trilogy which focused on me becoming the Black Canary but it seemed like it focused more on Felicity than it did on me. The entire season really seemed to focus more on Felicity than on me and I was supposed to be leading lady while Felicity was supposed to be a supporting actress. 

"Then season four rolled around. I was basically a glorified guest star all season long. I had no storyline except for bringing back Sara, which was mostly just set up for Legends of Tomorrow. And then it turned out I was the one in the grave. We were promised right off the bat that this was permanent, game-changing death, so why was it that they had no idea who was in it at first! And it's not even that they killed me, it's the way I died! If they were gonna kill me, ill-advised as it was, I should've gone out like a hero. Instead, I ended up in the hospital, which I'm pretty sure breaks some universal law. If you make it to the hospital, you live in a superhero show. But to make my last words about Oliver's relationship with Felicity? Out of all the things I could've talked about, my family, Tommy, my friends, Team Arrow, me and Ollie, literally anything else , I talk about Olicity?! And then the five premiere 'Make sure I'm not the last Canary?' What, they're trying to give my mantle that I worked so hard for to Felicity now? Unacceptable. And back to my death, I was stable and then I died from a freaking seizure?! In what world does that happen?! I'm the most important character in the Green Arrow Mythology after Oliver and that's how I get treated?! It's just..I'm done your honor." Laurel sighed.

"No further questions." Murdock turned and walked back to his seat.

"Does the defendant have anything to say?" The judge looked down at Guggenheim.

"We don't have to follow the comics." Guggenheim protested and was booed at.

"Enough. Ms. Lance, you may step down," the judge said and Laurel stepped off the stand, "Mr. Murdock, call your next witness."

"The prosecution calls it's final witness, Oliver Queen, to the stand." Murdock called out.

As Laurel took her seat, Oliver stood up and approached the stand. As he sat down, Murdock stood up and approached the stand.

"Mr. Queen, can you tell us of your experiences under Mr. Guggenheim as showrunner." Murdock asked.

"The first two years, I had very few complaints. It was a very different take on my character, a darker take and I loved every minute of it. But I always thought in the back of mind that eventually, I would become the character in the comics. That plan seemed to be scraped the moment Guggenheim became showrunner. Not only was I not turning into my comic book counter part, he seemed to be rewriting my character to please a select group of fans." Oliver explained.

"Could you please elaborate on that?" Murdock asked.

"From episode one, it seemed my character was changed to suit Mr. Guggenheim's desires. I'm all the sudden in love with Felicity, which the whole 'I love you' was just a ploy to get Slade, so me being in love with her doesn't make sense, at least not that quickly. Was it possible I had feelings for her? Yes but certainly not love. And Laurel, who had been one of my strongest links to my humanity in the first two seasons, became someone I only talked to if I absolutely had to without any explanation. And it only got worse from there." Oliver explained.

"How did it get worse exactly?" Murdock asked as he turned away from Oliver.

"Well, in the season three finale, I become the world's doucheiest brother.My relationship with my sister had been establish up to that point as the driving force behind every major decision I had made since returning home. And yet, after she had lost the love of her life, almost died, come back, and is to traumatized by the events to even go to her own house, I take off with Felicity into the sunset. That seems like something pre-island me would do. Which brings me to my next point. 

"I had also been established as someone who loved my city almost as much as I loved my sister, so why would I just leave, tasking the remainder of my team with protecting it? It doesn't make sense. And it only got worse when Season four came around. 

"My relationship with Felicity became increasingly toxic. It began overshadowing my other relationships, which is not healthy. I also seemed to lose my ability to stand up for myself against her. I seemed to become a more submissive version of Batman with no self-respect or fighting ability. Because if you notice, in season four I seemed to lose almost every fight I was in. And what self respecting person just stands there while their significant other goes off on them, sometimes for things outside of their control? At that point, I became Felicity's bitch and nothing more. And is the show called 'Arrow' or 'Felicity and friends' because it seemed that it focuses more now a days on Felicity than it does on me. And I'm supposed to be the main character." Oliver said exasperated. 

"No further questions." Murdock sat down back down in his seat.

"Does the defendant have anything to say in defense?" The judge asked.

"It was organic." Guggenheim said and the judge sighed.

"I think we've heard enough. We will now give the jury time to discuss the evidence and reach a verdict." The judge announced.


	6. Chapter 6

“Is this really good or really bad that we’re back so soon?” Oliver whispered to Murdock as they all took their place as they reconvened an hour later.

“Depends on the verdict.” Murdock said as the judge took his seat.

“Has the jury reached a verdict?” the judge asked as he looked over at the jurors.

“We have your honor,” a male juror said as he stood up, “on the count of ignoring source material, we find the defendant guilty. On the count of butchering of various characters, we find the defendant guilty.”

At this, the crowd broke into cheers, standing up and hugging each other in celebration. The judge banged his hammer and the celebration stopped as everyone sheepishly took their seats. At the nod from the judge, the juror continued.

“On the count of turning an action based show into a soap opera, we find the defendant guilty. On the count of making the main character secondary in his own show to an insignificant character from the comics, we find the defendant guilty.” The juror said and the judge nodded as he sat down.

“Marc Guggenheim, in order to truly understand the severity of what you have done, I sentence you to watch, listen, and read every review of Arrow since the season three premiere that criticized your decisions as Showrunner.” The judge said as he slammed down his hammer.

“But that’ll take days, maybe weeks!” Guggenheim protested.

“Then you should not have let it get to this point.” The judge as a computer suddenly appeared in front of Guggenheim and began playing.

“No, no, NO!” Guggenheim cried out in horror as the crowd roared in laughter at his misery.


End file.
